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Fire at Saudi petrochemical plant kills 12

18 April 2016

Twelve people were killed and 11 others were injured with six in a critical condition after fire broke out in a petrochemical factory in Saudi Arabia’s largest industrial area, Jubail, state news agency SPA reported. The incident took place in an area that was under construction and during routine maintenance at Jubail United Petrochemical Company plant.

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Firefighters extinguished the fire within 10 minutes but although the fire was small, it left people with severe smoke inhalation injuries, SPA reported.

A Royal Commission spokesman, Abdul Rahman Al-Abdulqadir, said: “During the replacement of stimulants by technicians of the maintenance contractor, a fire broke out. It was immediately extinguished. However, the intensity of smoke led to the suffocation of 12 workers; 11 others are fighting for life.”